Combined truck and mound covering device



March 13, 1934.

J. W. WILHELM COMBINED TRUCK AND MOUND COVERING DEVICE Original -Filed Jan. 10. 1931 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 aka/Mu March 13, 1934. J. w. WILHELM 1,950,425

COMBINED TRUCK AND MOUND COVERING DEVICE Original Filed Ja n. 10. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gmamm J fl fWiZkeZrm finer/nap.

March 13, 1934. .1. w. WILHELM 1,950,425

COMBINED TRUCK AND MOUND COVERING DEVICE Original Filed Jan. 10. 1931 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 a /z i I Ii 1 a I Patented Mar. 13, 1934 PATET ice COIWBINED TRUCK AND MOUND COVERING DEVICE John Walter Wilhelm, St. Petershurg, Fla, as-

signor to Walter S. Wilhelm, St. Peters'burg,

Fla.

Application January 10',

1931, Serial No. 507,943

Renewed July 6, 1933 3 Claims.

This invention relates to a combined truck and grave mound covering device, designed for attachment to casket lowering devices now in common use.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be readily and easily secured to the usual casket lowering device, providing a carriage to permit a casket to be transferred from the hearse to the grave with facility.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which may be moved over the grave either from the side or end of the grave.

Another object of the invention is to provide a grave mound concealing device constructed so that it will operate automatically with the casket lowering device.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a device of this character which may be adjusted laterally and longitudinally, thereby adapting the device for use in connection with caskets of various sizes.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds,

' the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, may be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Referring to the drawings:

Figure l is a plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, and illustrates the attachment as secured to a casket lowering device.

Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through the casket lowering device and grave mound concealing device, illustrating the grave mound con cealing device in its active position.

Figure 3 is a plan view of one of the corner trucks.

Figure 4 is a sectional View through one of the corner trucks.

Figure 5 is a fragmental elevational view of one of the corner trucks illustrating the stays as connected thereto.

Figure 6 is a side elevational view of one of the corner trucks, secured to one of the corner members of a casket lowering device.

Figure 7 is a plan view of one of the corner trucks, the upper section of the corner truck being removed.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the referportion conforming to the curvature of the cir-' cular portion 9 of the truck, the curved portion of the plate 13as well as the circular portion 9 being formed with openings to receivesecuring screws 14 that secure the truck to the plate 13. Cooperating with the curved portion ,of each plate 13 is a curved securing member 15 which is also formed with openings to register with openings in the circular portion 9 of the corner truck, to receive securing screws. As clearly shown by Figure 4 of the drawings, the plate 13 and curved securing member 15 have beveled surfaces, so that they will fit over the bases 16 of the casket lowering .device, to secure the corner trucks in position. Thus it will be seen that due to this construction, the corner trucks may be rotated with respect to the portions of the trucks that are secured to the casket lowering device, permitting the wheels of the trucks to operate at right angles to their positions as shown by Figure 3 of the drawings, with the result that the device may be used to move a casket over a grave, from the side of the grave.

The plates 13 are constructed in such a way that they provide supports for the stays or bows 17 thatare shown as pivotally connected along the edges of the plates 13, by means of the pivot pins 18. These stays or boxes include overlapping bars 19 which are held together by means of the straps 20, so that sliding movement of the bars of the stays or boxes will be permitted, with the result that the corner trucks at one end of the device may be adjusted towards or away from the corner trucks at the opposite end of the device, adapting the device for use in connection with caskets of various lengths. Since the corner trucks at the ends of the device are not connected, the trucks may be moved laterally to regulate the width of the device for a particular use. The reference character 21 designates the usual lowering straps of the casket lowering device, which straps have their ends wound on the side rails 5 so that when the side rails are rotated, the straps will be unwound, permitting the casket supported thereby, to move to the bottom of the grave.

The reference character 22 designates straps which are arranged at the ends of the device, one of the straps being shown as connected to the stay or body at one side of the grave mound concealing device, while the opposite strap 22 is shown as secured to the end stay at the opposite side of the grave mound concealing device. The opposite ends of the straps are Wound on the side rails 5 and are so arranged that when the straps 21 are in their uppermost positions, the straps 22 are extended, the straps 21 and 22 being wound on the side rails, in opposite directions.

Secured to the stays or boxes 17, is a flexible covering indicated by the reference character 23, which covering is constructed of material simulating grass. It follows that when the mound concealing device is moved to its active position, the flexible covering will simulate a grass mound completely covering the grave. This mound afiords means so that the floral pieces are arranged to present a pleasing appearance.

It might be further stated that a sectional track is employed over which the device is moved, the sectional track embodying rail sections 24 and 25 respectively. These rail sections are formed with longitudinal grooves which are of widths to receive the wheels 12. In the use of the device, the track is laid with one end of the track directly over the grave, the opposite end of the track being near the road or driveway over which the hearse passes. The casket is positioned on the casket lowering device, in the usual manner, and the carriage is moved along the track to a position directly over the grave.

The casket lowering device is now operated to gradually lower the casket to the bottom of the grave. Simultaneously with the moving of the casket to the bottom of the grave, the straps 22 are pulled owing to the fact that they are being wound on the side rails 5, resulting in the sections of the grave mound concealing device being moved upwardly to their uppermost positions, forming a cover for the grave.

I claim:

1. The combination with a stationary casket lowering device embodying corner members and side rails connecting the corner members, of wheeled means for supporting the casket lowering device, comprising independent corner trucks, and means for securing the corner members of the casket lowering device to the comer trucks.

2. The combination with a stationary casket lowering device embodying corner members having circular bases and side rails connecting the corner members, of a wheeled means for supporting the casket lowering device comprising corner trucks having circular portions accommodating the circular base portions of the corner members, and curved securing members engaging the corner members and securing the corner members to the wheeled supporting means.

3. A lowering device corner truck comprising a circular body portion, spaced downwardly extended side plates forming a part of the body portion, wheels mounted between the side plates, and a curved securing member fitted over the circular body portion, adapted to secure the body portion to a support.

JOHN WALTER WILHELM. 

